He looked at d.d. with deep meaning.

"Leave your soldiers behind."

The watchman glanced at Thales again.

"General."

Thales closed his eyes.

Give up soldiers.

General.

Whose pawn should I give up?

Whose army will it be?

Doyle was still breathing in trance, mumbling to himself from time to time.

But Anke was tired of waiting.

"Answer me! Doyle's son! Do you have the guts to fight me in a fair duel?"

The kidnapper's anger and the old baron's cry of pain further stimulated the nerves of the crowd, provoking exclamations and uproar:

"Or I could start with the old silverfish's limbs!"

"Look how much blood he can bleed!"

Seeing Anke move the sword blade to the Baron's wrist, Thales' heart tightened.

Oops.

"Okay," seeing D.D fall into panic-like confusion, Vogel snorted to Mallos dissatisfied:

"If you're not willing to get your hands dirty, Watchman, then I'll do it."

He turned to his subordinates:

"Assemble the flag-bearing wing, select four people, and want the best sniper..."

But the next moment, a high-pitched voice interrupted them all.

"Duke Thales!"

There was a sudden silence in the banquet hall.

Everyone looked at the speaker.

It's Doyle.

It was not Anke who shouted the Duke's name loudly, but D.D.

I saw him slowly raising his head, and there was no confusion in his eyes.

But there is an extra layer of darkness.

"Please give the order, Your Majesty the Duke!"

Doyle spoke loudly so that everyone could hear clearly.

But there was a bitterness that Thales could hear in his voice:

"I, Danny Doyle, son of Baron Mirror River!"

Under the gaze of the entire hall, d.d took a step forward and gritted his teeth:

"For the sake of my father and family, I am willing to follow the ancient customs of the empire, and in the presence of Duke Thales and everyone else, I will respond to his challenge and confront this despicable villain..."

"A showdown of life and death!"

Thales looked at his bodyguard in disbelief, then turned to Marius.

But the latter seemed to have expected it and responded indifferently.

Doyle stared at Anke who was full of provocation and desire, trying his best not to look at his stunned father.

"I am willing to defend our dignity and reputation."

d.d spoke mechanically, as if the mouth was not his:

"As long as... let my father go."

After saying these words, Doyle, who was covered in cold sweat, seemed to be deflated and shook his whole body.

Until Glover held him firmly.

The guests were quiet for a moment, then a small commotion broke out.

The sound of controversy once again flooded the hall.

"very good!"

"There are still men in the Doyle family."

After receiving the response, Anke looked at the lost Doyle and showed a slight smile, but Thales could not feel happy or satisfied from it.

There is only a different kind of desolation.

Thales gritted his teeth:

"Doyle..."

Deputy Guard Captain Vogel pursed his lips and looked at D.D with complicated eyes.

Mallos was also silent, but his expression was much calmer.

"No, no, no!"

In the hall, the old baron, who was held hostage by Anke, could no longer care about his pain and embarrassment. He shouted angrily:

"You brat, you... what are you doing?"

d.d came back to his senses, glanced at his father, and forced out a weak smile.

The old baron looked at his wife in horror:

"Honey, stop him, stop him!"

But the Baroness was also frightened. She looked around hastily, but could only find sympathy.

"Your Highness? Is there anyone? Anyone?"

The old baron was so anxious that he cried:

"Anyone! Stop him and knock this damn scoundrel out! Doyle will be punished and thank you very much!"

"Half, no, 40% of my income this year will be given to him! Forty percent? Okay, then half! Sixty percent? Seventy percent?"

The baron's shout echoed between the pillars of the hall, and there was no answer except the flickering firelight.

Desolate and helpless.

Looking at this scene, Thales felt even more uncomfortable and unspeakable.

But he can't reveal it.

He must maintain the most elegant, detached and noble posture.

Because he is the second prince.

It's the Duke of Star Lake.

Under the glare of countless eyes, d.d took a deep breath, adjusted himself, and strode forward.

"Bailal! I have promised you!"

Doyle yelled at Anker:

"Now, let go of my father and I will play with you!"

"Let's settle the score!"

Anke smiled.

He did not let go of the old baron, but turned to Thales.

"Duke Thales, Your Highness?"

"The initiator and recipient of the duel are both present, and only the noble witnesses remain."

Anke's eyes were mixed with desire and expectation, despair and madness.

Doyle also turned around and looked at Thales with a rare gray look in his eyes.

The old baron stared at him, shaking his head wildly, his eyes full of pleading.

The people in the royal guard looked at him with low-key and restrained expressions, not discerning his appeal.

"Your Highness."

Vogel quietly stood beside him:

"This is the right thing to do and the necessary evil."
To be continued...